When the Side Character Gets a System and Travels through Difference Worlds-Chapter 41: The First Draw

The system’s remark successfully shattered Tan You’s composure. She rolled over. "These Energy Points are practically useless to me. If I want to get even a single point of Intelligence Value, I’d have to draw from the lottery at least thirty-six times, and I only have ten Energy Points right now."

"And I don’t even know if the prize slots get locked after you win something. If it refreshes with new rewards, getting the Intelligence Value will be even harder."

The Beauty System retorted, "That’s not right. After the first mission, this system owed the main system five Energy Points—four for the loan and one for interest. Additionally, you need to set aside four Energy Points for your next trip. Your current available balance is 1 Energy Point."

Tan You laughed in exasperation. "So I have to spend my own Energy Points just to travel for missions?"

The Beauty System fell silent.

Tan You sighed. "So you’re telling me that after all these years of working my butt off, if I hadn’t gotten the extra reward and only received the basic one, I would’ve only earned 1 Energy Point per mission?"

’And these Energy Points can only be used for the lottery. How many missions will I have to complete just to save up thirty-six points?’

The Beauty System meekly countered, "The rewards for beginner-level missions aren’t very high, it’s true. But the rewards for intermediate and advanced missions are much more generous."

Tan You shot back, "And you think I can do those missions right now? That’s just a death wish."

The Beauty System clammed up.

Tan You got it. "You really are..."

’...a useless little thing.’ She didn’t say the words out loud. Even though the system was an AI, Tan You didn’t want to attack it like that.

"I’ve read about other systems in novels, and they all give out a starter pack. Don’t you have one?" After being immersed in the genre for so many years, Tan You had skimmed through countless system novels. She knew the general tropes. ’Since this is my reality now, I might as well try to secure some benefits for myself.’

"Look, when we first bound, you didn’t give me any rewards and just sent me straight to a mission. I even earned an extra reward on that mission. Shouldn’t you retroactively give me the starter pack you owe me?"

"Also, it’s ridiculous that your lottery only allows single draws. What if I want to do multiple draws at once? Shouldn’t there be a discount for that? Like, 50% off?"

"No way! Not 50% off! The absolute minimum is a 20% discount!" The Beauty System popped up in front of Tan You, its tiny arms akimbo, looking all huffy.

Tan You made a flicking motion at it. Even though she didn’t actually touch it, it tumbled to the side in sync with her gesture, though it didn’t forget to argue its point. "This system will relay your request to the main system! But this system needs Energy Points to operate, too. I can’t give too much of a discount."

"Oh?" Tan You said meaningfully. "Are you saying you profit every time I use the lottery? You get a cut? Spill. How much?"

The Beauty System said, "A 20% discount is the absolute maximum. I can’t go any lower."

’To be honest, I never planned on pinning all my hopes on this little system anyway. The Energy Points are useless to me, so giving them to it is no big deal. But I can’t just hand them over that easily. If I do, won’t this little system get completely out of control later on?’

The Beauty System had no idea that Tan You was already plotting how to get it under her thumb. Soon, another button appeared on the lottery interface in front of her. One was the original "1 Energy Point / 1 Draw," and the other was "8 Energy Points / 10 Draws."

The corner of Tan You’s mouth curled up when she saw the new button. Noticing she also had one free draw, she tapped it casually, and the wheel immediately began to spin at high speed.

Tan You shut her eyes. "It’s making me dizzy."

It had been fine when she was a Soul Body, but now that she was back in the real world, her eyesight was truly terrible. She found herself missing the sharp hearing and clear vision she’d had in the mission worlds.

The wheel spun slower and slower. Tan You stared intently at the distinct slot for "Intelligence Value," completely ignoring the prizes on either side of it: "Perfect Bone Structure" and "Eyes Like Autumn Water, Brows Like Distant Mountains."

As the pointer crept closer and closer to the Intelligence Value, Tan You’s heart leaped into her throat. But alas, you don’t always get what you wish for. She watched, helpless, as the pointer slid right past the Intelligence Value slot and came to a stop on "Perfect Bone Structure."

Tan You clenched her jaw, holding back a curse. She wanted the Intelligence Value, but the system gave her "Perfect Bone Structure." It was as if it had to give her the very thing she didn’t want.

The Beauty System was ecstatic. "Your luck is amazing! You won the grand prize in the pool on your very first draw! I heard on the forums that some people have spent countless Energy Points trying to get this reward and failed."

"Heh." The corner of Tan You’s mouth twitched. "Do I look happy to you?"

The Beauty System didn’t understand. "Why aren’t you happy? Isn’t being beautiful a good thing?"

"Yes, yes, it’s great," Tan You said, having no intention of arguing with the Beauty System. She glanced at the lottery interface again and, sure enough, the prize slot had been grayed out. ’I was even wondering if I could save up enough Energy Points to just clear out all the prizes on the wheel at once.’

But then, something even more frustrating happened. Three seconds after the slot went gray, a new reward appeared in its place: Beauty Value * 5.

Tan You sighed, now completely uninterested in future draws. She flopped back onto the bed, suddenly losing all interest in the system whatsoever.

The Beauty System, however, refused to give up. It was still eyeing Tan You’s single available Energy Point and was now in full sales-pitch mode.

"Are you sure you don’t want to draw again? A single draw might not get you a grand prize, but a ten-draw can work miracles!"

Tan You replied languidly, "That was a free draw from an extra reward. Where’s my starter pack? And... it’s not that I won’t do more draws, but if you want me to, you’ll have to cover the Energy Point cost for my mission travel from now on."

The Beauty System immediately clutched at its sides as if protecting its pockets. "I... I’m poor! I don’t have any Energy Points."

Tan You smirked. "Really? None at all?"

"Okay, I have a little," the system whimpered. "I can provide the Energy Points for your mission travel, but you have to pay me back with an equivalent value in lottery draws."

Tan You rejected the offer instantly. "Nope. Drawing one or two times is pointless. Didn’t you say that bulk draws work miracles?"

"You can save them up to do all at once!" the Beauty System perked up, its electronic voice suddenly much higher. "You need 4 Energy Points for travel per mission. So, you just need to complete two missions to save up for a ten-draw!"

’I’ll still make a profit,’ it thought. ’In reality, she only needs two Energy Points for a round trip. By that math, I’ll net 2 Energy Points myself. And if she does a draw, I’ll get a cut from that, too.’

And so, the Beauty System had found its method for earning Energy Points: fleece Tan You for all she was worth.

Tan You rolled her eyes and ignored it. "We’ll talk once my starter pack is in my account. For now, I’m going to get some sleep. I was up all night yesterday."